Our Haven
by ZageTheTemplar
Summary: Well the last story of Zack, but still working on a back story as there is a lot, and sorry for the separate chapters I am very sorry, but I will make up for it, unless you like the character of Zack and like to know more of him, there is a time and place.
1. Chapter 1

(Ok I think this section has gone on a bit to long, and sorry for that to be the case however I didn't suspect to take this long, don't want another Hobbit.)

I see the Inklings that had the octo tied up as she still had her gear on as I realized the inklings I'm facing were the ones that I freed, what is going on?  
I call out to them,"I free you 3 then you come back, for what really, if its for my attention, you have it, if there are demands then I can see what I can do as long as the octo goes free." I said strongly without stutter however I stayed 7 feet away, the standard confrontation in a hostage situation. All three of them nodded as one of them step forward as it was one of the male inklings, eyes of blue, as his tentacles were pink and the tips were of a light blue.  
"We saw what you did and what you seem capable, but we were wondering if you could..." He said as he does sound young but I can guess he is around 13.

All of them spoke at the same time with excitement,"COULD YOU JOIN OUR TEAM FOR TURF WARS?!" I was surprised as being told to join, but what are turf wars?  
I nodded my head in agreement as I reply,"I agree, however the octo goes free now and you have to answer a few questions for me along the way, but if we are gonna go anywhere public, I need to get something first, more than what I have now." They nodded as tehy seen what I did to that strange creature as they let the octo loose as I begin walking to what I assume is the medical section as I climb up the pipes with the inklings following.

However they had a look of confusion as we arrived at the garage that I stored my diving suit that stands up right by chains. I then take the metal peices off with the main inner part as I unzip it, sliding it on but I had to take my boots off first, then puts the boots back on then the armor itself. It was a tad dark, I could somewhat see my reflection in the glass as my eyes glew green a bit, the scars there are as they run down my face, about 4 for each eye.  
Yet they are healing, as long as I have a positive outlook. I said to the inklings,"Ok, lead the way, I'm not one to back down on a deal." they nod as they led the way out with Zap following at my side. Thinking about it, maybe I should see more above ground, more than there is, maybe if I could, if I could,  
I could call this place home.

It has been a few hours as we are on a train, above has a wire line, I haven't figured out hte purpose of them though. We didn't say a thing as it was just us in the train cart.

Me: So What are of your names? My name is Zack, I prefer to know the names of those I will work next to.

They all nod as the girl inkling started talking, starting the conversation.

Girl: Names Sam.

The boy with light blue tentacle tips: Names Arkantos.

An odd name but for some reason, I feel like I heard the name from somewhere.

The other kid, who had odd patterns on his tentacle tips yet they were of a lime green color.

Kid with odd patterns: Names Mike.

Me: Ok, so what is Turf War, I am not really around here.

Arkantos: Turf war is more of 2 teams of 4 compete to cover the playing field with their own team's ink, and the team with the most ground covered when the time runs out wins.

It really sounds very simple, almost like paintball except your painting the ground and he said own teams ink, using your own bodily fluids but to be honest that is not as bad as a certain kind of bug where I once lived, a bug that shoots its own maggots at you, ugh, every time I fight against them, afterwards I bathe in a tub full of alcohol.

Me: Wow, that sounds really simple, wait a minute what about injuries or possibility of death... I prefer not to do so.

Sam: Well injuries are common but none are life threatening, in terms of death though, we respawn at our spawn point, so its all a ok but only when in turf wars, outside of it though is a different story, so weapons outside of matches of prohibited.

That gave very little comfort, but I can atleast ease up. I already did my share of spilling blood.

Mike: So what is your story, its quite clear your not even from here when you took that... Thing down with just a sword, it was huge, you were a bug to it.

I was nervous about this, but I will be honest, starting at the part of my arrival here, just the cliff notes though. As well as telling them about Bexium and how dangerous it is to living organisms even at teh cellular base.

(Minutes after)

They looked a little surprise and shocked as I was worried.

Sam: That sounds very outlandish.

Me: So your not gonna go yell out aliens at the top of your lungs saying it came from space. Trust me, what I do, is far more dangerous than simple soldiers can do, infact if you use your own ink as muntion, it won't do a think, we use physical, metallic projectile we call bullets, heck we even made weapons that fire lasers, I know, it sounds out of a syfy movie. Believe it or not. I'm stranded and not afraid to fight back.

It felt like hours but the sun is still high in the sky as I have the octo shot at my side, the octo shot they call, ecept they told me there are replicas but we have the real deal.

Mike: However you may not be able to do rank matches since you lack a battle ID, a battle ID is used mainly to track your rank before you ask... Its simply really, but you will get one after competing in a single turf match. We lost ours so we are all in the same boat as you.

It was quite a bit to take in yet at times I feel like some people need a new start. I guess I will make that start now, plus I haven't encounter any other bexium creatures, they must be in the main land, I just hope I am wrong.

With an hour passing we arrive what is called Inkopolis, kids all around, a shop for shoes, shirts, even head wear? Yet tucked away in a corner is a gun shop I assume, my attention was quickly draw to the right, a coffee shop, I haven't had coffee in years, sadley I am broke. I said with confidence,"Well lead the way, I like to get started." Zap though he was jumping in joy and excitement, I guess this is the first he is gonna have of normal combat, back home, we used combat dogs and worgs, a small canine and a big canine that could disable a man, heck even injure crooks to keep them alive but on the ground for a long while, a combat fish, a living taser, that sounds sort of humorous.

I follow the 3 as my out wear drawn the eyes of a few other kids, but we were in the tower as it was hard to see out of this helmet when in darker lighting.  
I could faintly see the room as I tap at the light on the side of my helmet and surprisingly it works, but its old so its kind of dim. Looking around the room, circular with a metal pad in the middle of the room with some other neon lights on the middle as it slowly changed color. There is also a maintence door at the end of the room. 


	2. Chapter 2

(Ok 3 sections is way to long in my case but if you enjoy it aside the crudeness, then all I have to say is thank you.)

Feeling every cell, every bexium in my body, every rubber against my skin getting ripped apart then put back to together, I prefer to go into rifts I made,  
I fucking hate the idea of teleportation and the idea of my molecules being spread across space then back together, rifts I make do take a lot out of me, but I'm just making a tear into space and just simply step through. Soon as light hits my face I shielded them as I look around, on an oil rig of some form. The ocean, vast and wide as I hear a tap on my helmet, both of my squad members and Zap as I quickly turn around.

Announcer: READY

I looked around confused to wondering who was saying that.

Announcer: GO!

Quickly my team members dash off as I follow suit, strange, I feel light outside of the suit but in it I feel heavy. Quickly running as I made a side step right as Sam was way ahead of me, dropping down as I landed onto the ground, felt a bit of pain in my legs, the landing could have been softer, but its loud.  
So its best what my team members said, cover the ground with my own ink, which I was able to obtain the ability long ago, so thank goodness I was able to obtain that trait or else I will stick out. If only I had a sword based all around the usage of ink, that would be great. I realized I was firing an odd orange color as another inkling came around the corner surprised to see my as he dodged out of the way when I fired. I would feel really bad, for not the fact of respawning, coming back from the dead. I followed the inkling as his ink was a dark blue, stepping on it, I felt slowed, yet I can still walk.

However I notice something, an odd pattern in the ink, like a trail of some sort, if I had some kind of explosive, I could smoke him out. I notice that I pursued the target, instead of paying attention of my surroundings, if I had a map I could get a better view, walking back as I spray the ground, making it easier to walk as I heard a tapping on the side of my helmet, quickly making a 180 firing as teh inkling that was about to jump me got splatted, for a split second I thought I saw him wielding an over sized paint brush. Yet thankful for Zap,"Oh, its a good thing you are on my shoulder Zap." Praising him as I could feel him do a little short hop.

Half way, it seems the music has picked up a I guess I am in the middle of the oil rig as I hold the area, making sure no spot is lefted uncovered. Not even the walls. Even though what I been told, doesn't add to one's score, today, this match I learned of these inklings have what I would considered a squid form,  
a form where they can become a squid... Aside the obvious, but if they are more prone to attacks, yet a not very visible in their own ink, resore ink faster when in their own ink as well as passing through grates, my suit doesn't allow me or maybe I can't do it. Maybe I lack said ability, a core cell must have an ability, seeing what the inhabitants on this planet, these cores would try to use or evolve something similar. At the corner of my helmet, I saw something, a few splotches dark blue everywhere, odd, no. I reached into a pool to pool out an inkling as I tossed him to the side, seeing his ghost come up from the edge.

Announcer: STOP

I stopped as every else did, a fat cat comes out. Looking around as he whips out an orange flag out of no where. I assume we won. My team members cheer as I walk back towards spawn but then felt my skin and cells split, put back together. GOD Damnit, that was painful. I feel something in my hand as I stepped out of the tower as I had a wallet in my left hand... Wow, its quite heavy. Looking around as my eyes quickly adjust, to see a bird, a black bird, a raven.  
Not any random bird, but A Raven, belonging to a certain someone I know of. I started qalking as my other squad members follow, I assume they wonder where I going as they follow, to go to a very back, past some stairs, a purple handprint on a sewer lid. I look back at the squad as they were very confused.

"Well I guess its time to do a little shopping for my self.", I said to the three as Sam came to my side as she responded with worry,"I honestly don't know."  
I understand her, this certain person is quite shifty, very shifty, yet he is found in the most unlikely places. Lifting hte manhole as I leave it ajar as I climbed down to a room lit with purple flames, to see the Black Merchant. He chuckles as Mike, Sam, and Arkantos follow as thye hind behind me, I just twist the helmet off as I look at him. He wears a a full face cover as his eyes I can't see, wearing a hooded trench coat that contained his wares. On his hands are fingerless gloves, simple leather pants, leather and rubber boots he wore. What is odd about him is that I can't smell his scent.

"My favorite customer, it has been so long. Have you met with a terrible fate? No, but maybe a guise or accidental. Your wear doesn't suit you, yet I have a fresh Knight suit, unfortunately its a Zealot class. In exchange of that diving suit, maybe while your hear you can have a look at my wares and even your friends can browse and purchase some of my arms. Don't worry, they are of the legal in these parts.", He speaks as I didn't need to say, but I respond to him "How do you know of my change, yet how can you travel long distants, even speak the native's tongue?" He chuckles as the Raven purches on a metal bar.  
"Well I always recognize my favorite customers, I will always be in the most unexpected places, your tongue though, I have ways." He speaks in a rough tone,  
I do know the current money will do, he will accept any form of gold currency, even gemstones, and treasures pieces. I took Zap off my shoulder, putting him on the ground. Taking the suit off, handing it over as I am still wearing the sleeveless shirt and deck pants along with the boots, I remembered the proper name for them. He takes them, putting the entire thing on a bar counter of some sort, lifts his right arm, pointing the way of an armor dresser. Walking up to the circular tube as a metal door slides out of the way, lights red and faint. Stepping in as the door closes behind, metal arms grab my wrists and ankles as I can feel metal pressed against me, the lights of a welder flashes inside the pod, I just simple close my eyes as the arms fold up.

Stepping out of the pod, the 3 inklings and Zap look at me with amazement as I am still alive. To be honest I had way to many close encounters with death in those shop pods, a name I gave them, yet useful for storing items as they provide an amazing storage as they can save data on the items deposited. In shorter terms, items left in pod A is shared with Pod B and so on. Turning towards the merchant as I scratch the back of my head, speaking out," Hey, I feel better with armor I am familar with, but wouldn't I stick out?" Sam answered right away,"No, not really, infact there are wierder as there are gas mask, sports helmets." An odd race, unfortunately I know of a particular faction that would see this race as "demon spawns", my mind faded to the distant memory of this faction existing for some quite time, a faction that devote themselves to a god, they kill for their god, lead by a "Priest" that slaughtered many, thinking there are those who are "impure". I am on the top of his hit list, saids I am a demon, a spawn of the devil, that devil is my father. If I see this "Priest"  
I will kill him if he threatens the people of this planet, infact, I shall prove him right that I am a demon, by ripping off his head.

Killing millions of innocent women, children, and men of all sort. Heck, he went further saying that women are "inferior". If he knew that I left, then he is most likely following me. I shall make him dance with the devil. "Zack, are you ok?" I heard Mike's voice as I shook my head, quickly responding,"Yes yes, I just thinking, this fellow merchant's wares are not tools, but are more than just weapons, infact they are only weapons if you know how to use them. Even waving money around, he won't just sell anything, he would request particular items in exchange of one of his special wares." A lie but at the same time,  
it is true because some of his hardware he sells, or out landish equipment I refer the special gear as. Smiling at the armor, looking at it, makes me feel as if I have started anew, but I wish that was the case. Burdens of the past weigh heavily on me. I can't let that hold me down, looking at the merchant,  
asking him something that may sound odd,"Do you have an ink based sword?" I feel far more comfortable with a sword at my person as the merchant chuckles. He points towards a different variation of weaponary that are all ink based. The god of destruction will soon be pleased. 


	3. Chapter 3 (Final)

(Ok so a continuation of the previous chapter and the prelude I am still working on.)

Before long all 4 of us are at a table drinking coffee, but something was wrong, my 3 squad members, their eyes, eyes of a soldier that was in the field far to long, eyes in action yet haven't seen real action in a long time. Only silence among us, breaking the silence,"I seen that look before, at times it is best for a fresh start we haven't won that many matches, but it seems you 3 need a long break, join different squads, under my orders though, you won't be able to take for long." They looked at me as Zap just simply slept on his back, laying against the window."At times you are knocked down, life knocks you down, but its not you can get up, its how hard you can knock back." They smiled as I can tell they were given that emotional push.

Later in the day when the sun was setting, we decided to have one more turf match as this time, we battle in a warehouse... Not the oddest yet I felt something wrong, something watching, a presence, my bones vibrate yet its not as intense as the encounters of the bexian beasts. The announcer yell start as everything changed, everything, stopped, soon slowly back to normal with the match coming to a grinding halt as we all looked above as the glass shatters...  
... Glass shattering, on my ass, filled with fear, the horror I see, yet, it has a slender figure, the figure, in a spacer suit? The hell,  
the helmet covering the face, my bones give off an intense vibration as I simply shuffled away, not thinking to get the hell up and run, the helmet though,  
looks empty yet a green glow from it... I need to get my thoughts striaght. STRIAGHT GOD DAMMNIT. An Inkling tried to be brave, firing off their weapon as they get picked up and tossed to the side, no time to be a hero, this feeling in my bones, this...thing, getting up as I quickly jumped over the spawn point and grab the railing as I hopped down. landing on a grate feet first that was being transported by a forklift as I stumbled, looking at the operator, a jellyfish, I'm impressed, this is no time to be amazed as there is a walking...Whatever it is, climbing out of the wood pile as I felt a sharp pain in my leg. Quickly falling to the ground as I drag myself away, I can feel that thing still walking towards me, damnit, my leg, snapped out of place. I had worse yet this isnt even close to worse. Quickly Snapping my leg back into where it should be. The scent from that thing though, strange, the scent is familiar...?... Weakly standing up, still hurts as the mutation from that thing long ago hasn't made me these inklings entirely... No, I can simply look like this, learning of my true face, I was afraid of what I could, a child experimented on, gene spliced from what could be considered a donor,  
yet... He always told me I am his flesh and blood... I am his flesh and blood.

Standing up as the Zealot helmet unfolds, great suits for extreme condition for new recruits, these suits though are only built and used by one faction.  
Forming the bexian blades from my hands, ready for combat, but some octolings jumped in and aimed thier weapon at the strange figure as Ember was leading them. Strange, their tentacles are a different color, instead of purple, its orange? These creatures interest me... They are defending me? Why? For one small favor I did for them? Still, they are in grave danger and I wouldn't be a knight if I didn't stand up for them. Walking forward, standing infront of Ember, looking at her speaking with a tone of concern,"Ember, why defend me, When I did one small thing for you and your kind?" She looks to me smiling?  
She responds with confidence,"You have defended us with your life, we return the favor." I did not like the sound, I shall not hide my face, my kin swore an oath, defending those who can't defend themselves.

Quickly dashing forward using my bexian power boosting my physical prowess, the figure simply dodged, jumping to a rail and... Just looking...  
The scent is familiar, a scent since the day I was born... The strange figure just simply leaves...

I returned to the base the octolings set up only to see the biggest octo with... Wasabi?... My dad would love to cook him up, the scent was quite obvious and is he a dick jocky? Who the hell is this?

The giant octo spoke out,"Who in the shell is this "inkling" doing here?! I WOULD HAVE THIS DOME DROPPED DOWN!" That I didn't like the sound, looking up at him, shouting back,"I AM NO INKLING, I AM A TEMPLAR, I AM A DEMON, A HYBRID OF MANY THINGS, WHO ARE YOU!" The the head boss I assume, annoyed, angered, I don't care, he responds with even more anger,"I AM DJ OCTAVIO YOU LITTLE... WHATEVER YOU ARE, HOW CAN YOU MATCH ME?!"  
DJ Octavio? Meh, more like a new disk jocky with wasabi. Being corrupted by bexium, being seen as a threat by the kind I was raised with...

... Why do I feel an odd surge of energy... I may not know my mother, I may not be a mobian, I may not even be considered "God's creation" no I am who I am. I ran up to Octavio's machine and jumped up as I matrialize the blades and slash at Octavio's front folded tantacle, leaving only a green X scar.  
His eyes shrink, whelping in pain yet his voice got high pitched, I looked at him in the eyes, in the refleciton of his eyes, my face, the scar over my eye.  
"Bring harm to anyone in my ranks, I will rip it off, GOT IT!", I said straight to his face, pissed off, he replys,"Ok ok ok." his voice was high pitched.  
Jumping down as he just leaves. Looking at the octos, their goggles off, their eyes filled with amazement.  
I said outloud to them, my father once said before, but of course I would have to change it a bit.

We are soldiers with only one purpose, we were trained, we were left with no choice or want to make a difference. We are all brothers and sisters in arms, we fight for a common goal. My kin fought for one purpose, fighting for those who can't defend themselves, fighting for those who are needed, fighting against who threaten all. My father had a dream, a dream of uniting all together, destroying racial, and language barriers, even forgiving to ones that were pawns to those that wish the suffering of others. Attacking those who wish the extinction of other races. I see your faces and there is much for you to learn.  
When I arrived here I thought I was home, but to see that my home was gone, no, I realized my home was here all along, I may be a fish out of water, but your kind interested me the moment I layed eyes upon all of you, we will make this home, we will enter hell, this is our home, our haven, our outer haven.  
(End of speech)

There was silence, but then an octarian stood striaght up, a splitted tentacle it was, as a few octoling raised their rifle, then others followed suit, Zap..  
At my feet jumping in joy, then the rest of them started cheering... Looking down at Zap I said to him,"Welcome home. Welcome home."

(End, jeese this was annoying but its over and yes I do suck, but I wanted only to split it up because I didn't want to many chapters in one story, plus file error so I lost some of older stories, but I will make it up.) 


End file.
